Method and apparatus for safeguarding navigation.



A. G. DAVIS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SAFEGUARDING NAVIGATION. APPLICATION FILED use. 4. 1911.

. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

F? L WJIZ Witnesses:

. a I I ALBERT G". DAVIS, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEGTRIQ COMPAIIY, A COREGRATION NEW YORK.

METHOD ANT! APPARATUS FOR SAFEGU'ARDING NAVIGATION.

Application filed December 4, 1911.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ALBERT G DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York. have invented a certain new and useful Method and Apparatus for Safeguarding Navigation, of which the following is a specification, reference being made therein to the accoinpa ying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide means for detecting the presence of warm and cold currents and of other conditions which cause changes in temperature of air or water, and more particularly in detecting; the proximity of icebergs and ice fields.

My invention consists in observing the temperature'of air or water simultaneously at two or more points on or about the ship, and in providing means for accomplishing the same.

It is well known that the temperatures of the air and the water are useful indications in navigating parts of the ocean. where icebergs are likely to be encountered, such as the region off the Newfoundland banks on. the route of transatlantic travel. So far as I know the only method now in use is to take frequent readings by holding a thermometer in the Water over the side of the ship. in the great length of a large steamship a difference between the temperature of the air or water at the bow and the temperature at the stern can be noted and by observing: this difference it can be told whether the ship 'is passing into warmer or colder air or water. While it is not well understood just what e'lfect'the presence of an iceberg has on the temperature of the surrounding water, it is believed that the melting of the iceberg causes a film of cold water to spread over the surface of the ocean near it. In order to observe this eflect I dispose means for observ ing the temperature, one near the surface of the water, and the other at a considerable depth, both of which should be disposed as far in advance of the prow of the vessel as possible in order to obtain the temperature of the water before the same is disturbed by the advance of the vessel.

In my preferred form of invention I use electric resistances as the means for observing the temperature, but I am aware that other means may be used, such as thermo- Specification of Letters Patent.

Pittent ed. Dec. cs, isle.

Serial No. 663,737.

electric couples, or gas theri'nometers, and I consider the same to be fairly within the scope of my invention assetforth in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like characters refer to like parts in the different figures, Figure l. is a longitudinal view of a ship, equipped with my tempeature observing means; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of a portion of the ships side, showing a recess in which said means may be attacheo; Fig. 3 is a view of a pipe upon which said means may be disposed; Fig. i: is a wiring diagram, showing the electrical connections of my apparatus, and

Fig. 5 i a detail of a resistance, in longitudinal section.

The ship 10 is provided with thermal re sistances A, 13 disposed beneath the water line 13 near the bow l1 and stern 12 respectively in recesses 16 in the side 15. These resistances are used in determining the temperature of the water ahead and astern. The resistances A B are disposed onpipes 24: extending forwardly from the bowll near the surface, and at a considerable depth respectively. The resistances A B are disposed on upstandingpipes 24: at the bow 11 and stern 12 respectively for observing the temperature of'the air. From each of these resistances, Wires are led to the point of observation in the pilothouse 1d. The recess' 16 is formed by fastening a flanged box 17 to the "shell 15 of the ship. The shell 15 has cut in it at this point diagonally disposed vertical slots 18, for inward and outward currents of the water. Attached to the inside ofthe box 17 is the resistance coil 23, from which the wires 20, 21 are led through water tight insulating bushings 22. The pipes 24: have at the end a'collar 27, to. which is fastened resistance coil 23, from which the wires 25, 26 are led through the water tight insulating bushing 28 to'the inside of the pipe.

The resistance coils 23 for the resistances A, B, A B A, and B are wound to the same resistance out of any well known metal or alloy having a high temperature resist ance coefficient. In the form of winding here shown the spaced turns 3% are wound upon a squirrel cage, havingit-s longitudinal rods 33 covered with glass tubes 35, and-he,

ing fastened by a bolt 32 running there inc yea

through to the upstanding arms 36 of the base of the collar 27.

From each of the resistances A, A A B, 13 B one wire leads to a common neutral passing through the galvanometer G of a The other Wire reading from. each or"v the resistances A, A A B, B B runs through a small adjustable resistance K, and terminates in one of the corresponding sleeve terminals, a, a 4 b, 6 5 of the switchboard L. The resistances K are provided to compensate for any slight difference in resist ance of the circuits leading to the difi'erent resistances, and are permanently adjusted when the apparatus is installed. From the common neutral or galvanorneter Wire there is also run a Wire leading through the ad justable resistance F to the terminal. sleeve f of the switchboard L. The resistances D, E, and F are made capable of delicate adjustn1ent,asfor instance, the coil and sliding finger type, and'are made of metal or alloy having preferably a Zero resistance temperature coeiiicient as are also the resistances K. The resistance ll is adjusted so as to be equal" to the resistance of one of the thermal resistances at some temperature ar bitrariiy selected as the normal, such as ten degrees centigrade.

lhe galvanoineter G is preferably a millivoltmeter arranged to give both positive and negative readings, and is provided With the depressible key H to protect it from the inductive kick of the app'aratus.

The manner of using my apparatus is asfollows: The observer in the pilot house Wishing to note the difi'erence in temperature between. two points, as A and B, Will place the jacks d and e in the sleeves a and 7) respectively, and press the hey H, causing the galvanometer to deflect in one direction or the other, the amount of the deflection indicating the difference in temperature, and the calibration marks of the instrument being arrangedto indicate degrees of temperature. To determine the actualtemperature at one point the observer Will place one jack in sleeve 7 and the other in the sleeve corresponding to the point to be observed, and the deflection will then indicate the difference between the temperature at the point and the arbitrary normahsuch as 10 degrees Q, to which resistance F is adjusted.

is obvious that the bridge is most-sen sitive when resistance D and E are equal. Should the difi'erence be so that the L Qalvanometegoes ofi scale, the resistance D and E can be adjusted in a certain ratio giving a constant by Which the reading must be multiplied.

F or ordinary steaming it is believed that theapparatus should be plugged so as to lndicate continuously the difference in temperature between A and B, and that when any markeddiil erence is noted all the point: should. be observed.

It is obvious that there are many modifications of my invention possible, and I aim in the appended claims to cover all modifications Which do not depart from the spirit and scope or" my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 3

l. The method of'sa'feguarding navigation which consists in producing at acom- 111011 point a directdndication of the (lifter ence in temperature of two different points in air or Water about a ship, said two different points being so related with respect to the ship that a change in the normal diiference in temperature of the air or wa ter at these points is indicative of the presence of ice near the ship.

9. The method of safeguarding navigation Which consists in continuously indicating at a common point the difference in temperature of two different points in air or Water about a ship, said two different points being; so related with respect to the ship that a change in the normal difference 111 temperature oi: the air or Water at these l. Apparatus for safeguarding navign- .tlOIl comprising in combination a plurality of thermo sensitive means disposed at such points in air or Water about a ship that a change in the normal difference in temperature of the air or Water at two of the points is indicative of the presence of ice near the ship, each of said thermo-sensitive means being adapted to freely respond to changes in the thermal condition of the air or Water surrounding such means, and means locateo at a common point on the ship for determining the difference in temperature of any two of said thcrmo-sensitive means.

5. Apparatus safeguarding navigation comprising ombination two thermosensitive means tlgeposeol at such points in air or Water about a ship that a change in the normal difierence in temperature of the air or water at these points is indicative of the presence of ice near the ship, each of said thermo-sensitive means being adapted to freely respond to the thermal condition of the air or Water surrounding such means, and electrical means for directly indicating at a common point the difference in temperature of said thermo-sensitive means.

6. Apparatus for safeguarding navigation comprising in combination two thermosensitive means disposed at such points in air or water about a ship that a change in the normal difference in temperature of the air or water at these points is indicative of the presence of ice near theship, each of said thermo-sensitive means being adapted to freely respond to changes in the thermal condition of the air or water surrounding such means, conductors for electrically connecting each of said thermo-sensitive means to a common point, and electrical means lo- I cated at said common point for directly indicating the difference in temperature of said thermosensitive means.

7. Apparatus for safeguarding naviga- "tion comprising in combination two thermo- 'ducing a direct indication of the difi'erence in temperature of said thermo-sensitive means.

8. Apparatus for" safeguarding navigation comprisingin combination a plurality of electrical thermo sensitive means disposed at diflerent points in air or Water about a ship, each of said thermo-sensitive means being adapted to freely respond to changes in the thermal condition of the air or water surrounding such means and the points at which said thermo-sensitive means are disposed being so related with respect to the ship that a change in the normal difference in temperature'of the air or Water at two of these points is indicative of the presence of ice near the ship, conductors for electrically connecting each of said thermosensitive means to a common point on the ship, a standard electrical thermo-sensitive means at said common point, and means 10- cated at said common point whereby any of.

the thermo-sensitive means can be compared with the standard thermos-sensitive means or with each other.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of electrical resistances sensitive to temperature, disposed at differentpoints in air or water about the ship, a standard resistance not subject to changes of temperature, circuits of equal resistance leading to each of said resistances, one wire being connected to the galvanometer of a Vvheatstone bridge, and the other wire to a switchboard terminal, a Wheat" stone bridge compris two resistances and a jack at the end of each. resistance to be inserted in said switchboard terminal whereby any two of said first named resistances or the standard resistance may be connected into said bridge for comparison with each other.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a shell forming a recess in the side of the ship below the water line, means sensitive to temperature within the shell, and cover for said recess provided with diagonally disposed slots for causing-the water to flow into and out of said recess with the advance of the ship.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of December, 1911.

1 ALBERT G. DAVIS. Witnesses: BENJAMIN B. HULL, IIELEIT O'nrorn.

sew 

